DARKLING – English Lyrics

• By: DIE ANTWOORD
• Album: MOUNT NINJI AND DA NICE TIME KID

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music can be a powerful experience, and Die Antwoord's "DARKLING" offers a unique opportunity to connect with Afrikaans on an emotional level. The song features a poignant lullaby in Afrikaans, providing a glimpse into the language's softer, more intimate side, in stark contrast to the band's typically aggressive style. By learning these simple yet profound lyrics, you can gain insight into South African culture and the universal themes of love and loss expressed in a different tongue.

[English]

Just a little baby girl,

Didn't ask to get born into this crazy world

Sometimes life gets sloppy 'cause

I didn't even know who my daddy was

My mommy held me tight

Rocked me side to side as she sang a lullaby

Then my mommy cried and my mommy said goodbye

She brought me into this life

But I don't know why

Mommy didn't want me

Mommy didn't want me

Just a little baby girl,

Didn't ask to get born into this crazy world

Sometimes life gets sloppy 'cause

I didn't even know who my mommy was

Maybe I was born bad, maybe I need help

Cause sometimes I get sad and I wanna kill myself

But when I sing my momma's lullaby

And I wanna die but I don't know why, why

Mommy didn't want me, mommy didn't want me

[Verse 3: Yolandi]

Just a little baby girl,

Didn't ask to get born into this crazy world

Sometimes life gets sloppy 'cause,

I didn't know who my mommy or my daddy was

They told me my mommy held me tight,

Rocked me side to side as she sung a lullaby

Then my mommy cried and my mommy said goodbye

She brought me into this life but I don't know why

Mommy didn't want me

[?]

Mommy didn't want me

[?]

Mommy didn't want me

[?]

Mommy didn't want me

[?]

Mommy didn't want me

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
baby /ˈbeɪ.bi/ A1	noun - a very young child
girl /ɡɜːrl/ A1	noun - a female child
mommy /ˈmɒmi/ A1	noun - informal term for mother
daddy /ˈdædi/ A1	noun - informal term for father
world /wɜːld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries and peoples
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the existence of an individual human being or animal
lullaby /ˈlʌl.ə.baɪ/ B2	noun - a soothing song sung to send a child to sleep
crazy /ˈkreɪ.zi/ B1	adjective - mentally deranged; wildly enthusiastic
sloppy /ˈslɒp.i/ B2	adjective - carelessly done; messy
sad /sæd/ A2	adjective - feeling sorrow
bad /bæd/ A1	adjective - of poor quality or low standard
kill /kɪl/ B2	verb - to cause death
die /daɪ/ B1	verb - to stop living
cry /kraɪ/ A2	verb - to shed tears
rock /rɒk/ B1	verb - to move back and forth; to sway
side /saɪd/ A2	noun - a surface forming part of an object
tight /taɪt/ B1	adjective - firmly fixed, not loose
help /help/ A1	verb - to assist

Key Grammar Structures

• Didn't ask to get born into this crazy world

  ➔ Simple Past Negative (did + not)

  ➔ The sentence uses the **simple past negative** structure **"didn't ask"**, where **"didn't"** is the negative form of the auxiliary verb *did* followed by the base verb *ask*.

• I didn't even know who my daddy was

  ➔ Past Simple Negative with Indirect Question (who)

  ➔ The clause **"didn't even know"** is a **past simple negative**, and it introduces an **indirect question** with **"who"** ("who my daddy was").

• My mommy held **me tight**

  ➔ Simple Past (Affirmative)

  ➔ The verb **"held"** is in the **simple past affirmative**, indicating a completed action in the past.

• Rocked me side to side **as she sang** a lullaby

  ➔ As‑Clause (simultaneous action)

  ➔ The phrase **"as she sang"** is an **as‑clause** that shows a **simultaneous action** with the main verb **"rocked"**.

• She brought me into this life **but I don't know why**

  ➔ Contrast with "but" + Present Simple Negative

  ➔ The coordinating conjunction **"but"** introduces a contrasting clause, and **"don't know"** is a **present simple negative** expressing lack of knowledge.

• Maybe I was born bad, **maybe I need help**

  ➔ Modal adverb "maybe" + Past Simple / Modal verb "need" + Infinitive

  ➔ The word **"maybe"** functions as a **modal adverb** expressing uncertainty, and **"need"** is a **modal verb** followed by the infinitive **"help"**.

• I **wanna** kill myself

  ➔ Informal contraction "wanna" = want to

  ➔ The word **"wanna"** is an informal contraction of **"want to"**, commonly used in spoken English.

• But **when I sing** my momma's lullaby

  ➔ Temporal clause introduced by "when"

  ➔ The phrase **"when I sing"** is a **temporal clause** that sets the timing for the main action.

• I don't know why, **why**

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis

  ➔ The word **"why"** is repeated to **emphasize** the speaker's confusion and emotional intensity.